Ice dams form when three conditions are present: 1) the roof surface temperature is above 32 degrees Fahrenheit (".degree.F."), 2) a blanket of snow is on the roof, and 3) the outside temperature is below 32.degree. F. When these three conditions exist, the snow on the roof will melt and trickle to the edge of the roof where the snow will refreeze. As more snow melts, the refrozen water at the edge of the roof forms a dam. In geographic areas that receive many inches of snowfall per year, this problem is exacerbated. This is because the thick layers of snow acts as an insulation layer, trapping the heat closest to the roof.
Ice dams can cause serious damage to homes, such as, water stained ceilings & walls, deteriorated and dislodged roof surfaces, sagging or dislodged roof gutters, peeling paint due to trapped moisture, damaged plaster, smelly rotting wall cavities, decay of structural framing members, corroded metal fasteners, mold and mildew, and wet or damp insulation.
Previous solutions to this problem included reinsulating the home, ventilation, heat tape, ice belts, self-healing membranes, chopping the ice or shoveling the snow off the roof. The aforementioned solutions are not practical or inexpensive and do not work for an extended period of time, thereby necessitating the reapplication of the chosen method or the necessity of a different method causing further expense and inconvenience to the home owner.